HARNESS YOUR INNER WARRIOR

Working with Matt is empowering and inspiring. At almost 40 I’m in the best shape of my life, I feel strong along with a sense of peace and confidence. As I continue my journey in health and wellness I regularly reflect on wisdom I gained from working with Matt. He helped me more fully understand the connection between the mind and body. His methods helped me create life changing habits. He’s extremely knowledgeable and good at keeping you motivated! He helped me prepare for my first Spartan race, improve my karate skills, learn how to do an effective push up and develop the mindful tools to navigate not just my toughest days, but life’s daily ups and downs!

I love working out with Matt. Not only are his workouts amazing, but he brings professionalism and humor into every session. He’s kind and compassionate and knows his stuff. He takes time to understand your body and genuinely cares about his clients.

As a law enforcement professional for almost 30 years, a martial artist for almost 40 years, and karate school owner, the training I experienced with Matt was a breath of fresh air, literally. He took our group of mixed ages (teen to 80), genders, and abilities, outside and led us through all sorts of physical fitness and martial arts training including self defense and hand-to-hand drills against armed opponents, and taught from his real-life experience from his vast military and martial arts backgrounds, all while keeping the group engaged and entertained. We also participated in team building activities and concluded the session with a group meditation which was a perfect ending to the training day we all had. I couldn’t wait to get back to my own school and share what had learned from Matt.

I attended most of Matt’s classes at the Arlington-Fairfax Chapter of IWLA and I always learned something. every class. Matt Michaelson is a true expert on knives and axes. And like some experts he can make a complex subject easy to understand. I consider myself something of an expert in knife sharpening and always learned quite a bit at every session. He is also an excellent instructor, working with both juniors and adults, he teaches the important safety points and then emphasizes them is such a way that neither adults nor juniors feel bad.

Matt-sensei’s session was deeply meaningful not only for adults, but also for children. It reminded me of how closely the mind and body are connected, and went beyond simple meditation to reflect teachings rooted in Buddhism. Through his gentle guidance—encouraging us to move at our own pace and find postures that felt natural and sustainable—he helped us reconnect with things we often forget in our busy daily lives, such as nurturing the mind and recognizing the importance of balance between mind, technique, and body.

In terms of increasing your chances of surviving a violent encounter, I can’t imagine a higher-impact 90 minutes than Colonel Michaelson’s S.A.V.E. session. I learned it all—when to retreat, when to engage, stances, blocks, strikes, mindset, and even the legal considerations of self-defense. I had a great time too; Matt’s high-energy, super-positive teaching style made the whole experience a blast.

The Outdoor skills clinic in knife, tomahawk, and ax handling was both informative and enjoyable. I have carried and regularly utilized knives since childhood but still managed to learn some new techniques at the clinic. One surprise was even a side lesson in fire making! Matt’s delivery and teaching method ensured that every participant came away with added knowledge and experience. Most importantly, the Outdoor skills clinic was A LOT of fun.